Glossary

Nonstandard auto insurance

Coverage sold to drivers that standard insurers decline or price steeply, such as those with DUIs, many tickets, lapses or little license history.

Also called: non-standard auto insurance, nonstandard market, high-risk auto insurance

Nonstandard auto insurance is the part of the market that serves drivers standard insurers consider too risky or too hard to rate: drivers with a DUI, several accidents or violations, a lapse in coverage, a suspended license, or a foreign or brand-new license. Some insurers specialize in it, and many large carriers run a separate nonstandard company or tier.

Nonstandard policies cost more because the insurer expects more claims, and they are often built to fit tight budgets: state-minimum liability, named-driver-only terms, monthly payments and fewer optional coverages. Many nonstandard insurers will file an SR-22 when the state requires one. Getting accepted is easier than in the standard market, but cancellation for missed payments is common and fees can add up.

The nonstandard market sits between the standard market and the residual market, the state-run arrangements that cover drivers no insurer will take voluntarily. For most drivers it is a temporary stop: as violations and accidents age off your record, often after three to five years, you may qualify for standard rates again, so compare quotes at each renewal. See high-risk car insurance: options when insurers say no.

Last reviewed October 4, 2026

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Related terms

High-risk driver A driver insurers expect to cost more in claims because of a DUI, tickets, crashes, a coverage lapse, little experience or similar factors. SR-22 A form an insurer files with the state to certify that a high-risk driver carries the required liability coverage, often for about three years. Residual market State-created arrangements that guarantee car insurance to drivers no insurer will cover voluntarily, such as assigned risk plans. Assigned risk plan A state program that guarantees basic liability coverage to drivers no insurer will voluntarily cover, by assigning them to insurers in the state. Underwriting The process an insurer uses to decide whether to accept an applicant, on what terms, and in which pricing tier or company. Named driver policy A car insurance policy that covers only the drivers specifically listed on it, rather than anyone who borrows the car with permission.

Related guides

Assigned risk plans: insurance of last resort How state assigned risk plans and other residual market programs insure drivers no company will take, who qualifies, what it costs and how to apply. Who owns whom: car insurance brands and their parent companies Which company owns each major car insurance brand, from GEICO and Esurance to The General, Dairyland, Bristol West and PURE, as of October 2026. Texas county mutuals and fronting carriers: who really insures you Why your Texas auto policy may name a "county mutual" you never heard of, how fronting carriers work, and how to check who stands behind your coverage. Car insurance after a DUI What a DUI does to your car insurance: surcharges, possible nonrenewal, SR-22 or FR-44 filings, how long it counts, and how to stay insured. High-risk car insurance: options when insurers say no What makes a driver high risk, the three places to find coverage after a refusal (standard, nonstandard, the state plan), and how to get back to normal rates. The Kia and Hyundai theft wave and insurance Why many 2011-22 Kias and Hyundais were easy to steal, how insurers responded, and what the software fix, class settlement and 2025 state deal provide.

Related insurers

Alfa Insurance The Alabama Farmers Federation's insurer, a Montgomery-based mutual selling auto through local agents in Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi since 1946. Anchor General Insurance A privately owned San Diego insurer that sells nonstandard auto liability and physical damage coverage through agents in California, Arizona and Texas. Aspire General Insurance California-based nonstandard auto insurer, founded in 2013, selling low-down-payment policies through independent brokers in California, Arizona and Texas. AssuranceAmerica Atlanta nonstandard auto insurer founded in 1999 and private since 2013. It sells through more than 9,500 independent agents in 13 states, with no credit check. Bristol West Farmers-owned nonstandard auto insurer, founded in Florida in 1973 and sold through agents and brokers in 43 states to drivers with tickets, DUIs or no credit. Mendota Insurance (Citadel Partners Group) The NAIC group behind Mendota Insurance, a Nashville-area nonstandard auto insurer sold through independent agents to drivers other carriers turn away.